Magazine lead pencil



.Fan. 29, 1929.

E. D. FELDMAN MAGAZINE LEAD PENCIL Filed March 1924 Patented Jan. 29, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD J). FELDMAN, OF NEW'YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOB TO PENCIL MECHANISM COR- IPORATION, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

I MAGAZINE LEAD PENCIL.

Application filed March 3, 1924. Serial No. 696,667.

This invention relates to step-by-step lead pencils and more particularly to pencils of the type embodying mechanism adapted-to receive and feed forward a succession of leads froma lead magazine.

An object of the invention is to provide a step-by-step lead pencil which is simple and compact in construction and which is certain and efficient in operation.

Another object is to provide in a step-bystep pencil improved means for operating vertically movable lead grippers.

Another object is directed to the provision of improved means for relaying vertical movement of the grippers so as to assure an effective step-by-step operation.

Another object is to provide improved means for operating the grippers in response to the movement of a pencil cap.

Other objects of the invention will'in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The present application is directed to certain improvements over the inventions set forth in the copending application of Alfred Woelm, Ser. No. 588,688, filed September 16, 1922, the division thereof, Ser. No. 180,000, filed March 31, 1927, the copending applica cation of Edward D. Feldman, Ser. No. 596,309, filed October 23, 1922, and the copending application of Alfred Woelm, Ser. No. 642,858, filed June 1, 1923 .v Other improvements are set forth in the copending application of Edward D. Feldman, Ser. No. 696,666, filed herewith.

The invention accordingly-f cb nprises an article of manufacture possessing. the fea tures, properties, and the relation'of elements which will be exemplified in the article here inafter described and the scope' 'of,,the application of which will be indicated in the claims. T j

For a fuller understanding? of the nature and objects of the invention 'refe ence should be had to the following detailed-description drawing, in which Fig. I is a longitudinal section through my improved pencil showing thepartsin normal writing position, or the position of rest.

Fig. II is a longitudinal section through taken in conection with the accompanying the gripping mechanism, at right angles to the section shown in Fig. I.

Fig. III is a longitudinal section showing the propelling mechanism in elevated position.

Fig. IV is a longitudinal section illustrating the working parts in position just before the upward motion of the grippers.

The same numerals refer to the same parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the shell or casing of the pencil which has the usual pointed portion 2, and 4 represents a cap the depression of which is adapted to actuate the feeding mechanism.

In the lower pointed portion 2 of the shell 1 is fastened a lead guide tube 3, in any suitable manner. The guide tube 3 is provided with a supporting plate 27, to which are attached the slotted springs 37, 38. Above the plate 27 are situated the spring grippers 28 and 29 which in this case are forced against the lead 32 by a fitting having diverging inner walls as by the strips 30, 31, a spring 33 forcing the grippers 28, 29, between the strips. The grippers 28, 29, are fitted with pins 35, 36, or the like upon their lower connecting piece 34, which pins are guided in slots 46 between a pair of springs 37, 38 which serve to provide a braking device for the grippers. These springs press inwardly against the pins and tend to retard vertical movement of the grippers. As exemplified, the edges of the slots 46 are notched in the manner indicated in 'the drawings to provide a recess 48 to re ceive the pins when the grippers are in their normal lower position and a recess 47 to receive the pins when the jaws are in an upper position. By the provision of the recess 48 the grippers will be retained in their lower position by action of the springs 37, 38 until I the upward pressure exerted by the spring 33 issulficient to force the springs 37 and 38 apart, and by the provision of the recess 47 the-normal upward movement of the jaws is limited and the downward movement thereof is prevented until suflicient downward pressure is exerted thereon by the strips 30, 31 to force the pins downwardly between the springs37 and 38.

' The strips or bars 30, 31, are furnished at their upper ends with a plate 39 upon which the suspending elements 40, 41, are fastened. Against the plate 39 presses a spring 42, which at the other end abuts against the stationary plate 43. The suspension elements 40, 41, are in the illustrated example passed over a ring 44, which rests in a recess in the upper end of the shell, and is then attached to a sleeve 45, connected with the cap 4.

The lead propelling device operates in the following manner By a pressure upon the cap 4 the suspension elements or cords 40, 41, together with the plate 39 to which they are attached in some suitable manner, and the fitting comprising in this case the bars 30, 31, is raised against the tension of the spring 42. The grippers28, 29 do not at first take part in this movement, not until the spring 33 is put .under sufficient tension to overcome the braking device comprising the parts 35, 36, 37, and 38; and the grippers 28, 29, springing apart during the raising of the fitting release their grip on the lead 32.

When the grippers under the urge of the spring 28 follow up the fitting they are again forced between the arms 30, 31, and again closed in to gripping position. The pressure on the cap 4 being released the spring 42 will force downward the grippers and the lead and the parts assume their original positions as illustrated in Fig. I, the lead having been advanced by a definite distance;

It will thus be seen that among the various features provided in the exemplified embodiment of the invention, is a fitting having converging inner walls by which the grippers are forced against the lead and which is movable upwardly to release the grippers and later to raise the same, braking means whereby the grippers will follow the fitting only after a lapse of time. sufficient to permit the grippers to spring open when the fitting is moved upwardly or to be pressed against the lead when the fitting is moved downwardly, and'means for moving a gripper operating member up wardly in response to the depression of a member such as the pencil cap It will be understood that I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction of the parts as shown, but that these may be modified within the ambit of the claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a magazine lead pencil, the combination of a plurality of vertically-movable spring lead-grippers, a verticallyanovable.

fitting with converging inner walls adapted when lowered to fit over and close said grippers, a spring normally depressing said fit ting, means to raise and lower the grippers, said means including said fitting and said spring, and a braking device adapted to retard the vertical movement of said grippers.

2. In a magazine lead pencil, the combination of a plurality of vertically-movable spring lead-grippers, a vertically-movable fitting with converging walls adapted to close said grippers when forced into contact therewith, a spring compressed between said grippers and said fitting and tending to force said grippers upwardly into contact with said converging walls to close the grippers, a second spring normally forcing said fitting downwardly to close the grippers, means to move said fitting upwardly against the pressure of said second spring, and braking means adapted to retard the upward movement of the grippers and to cause unusual compression of said first-mentioned spring.

3. In a'magazine lead pencil, the combinato move said fittingupwardly, braking means adapted to retard vertical movement of said grippers, a vertically-movable casing member, and means to raise said fitting in opposition to said second spring in response to the downward movement of said casing member.

4. In a magazine lead pencil, the combination of a plurality of vertically-movable spring lead-grippers, a vertically-movable fitting adapted to force said grippers closed, a braking device tending to hold said grippers' at rest, a compression spring adapted when compressed above normal to overcome the action of said braking device, means for moving said fittingupwardly, and a spring normally forcing said fitting downwardly to close said grippers.

5. In a magazine lead pencil, the combination of, a plurality of vertically-movable sion of the cap will force said fitting upwardly in opposition to said spring.

In a magazine lead pencil, the combination of a plurality oflead-grippers, a gripper-actuating fitting, a spring normally forc- '1ng said fitting downwardly to close said grippers, a pencil cap, and a flexible connection between said fitting and said pencil cap whereby the depression of said cap will raise said fitting in opposition to said spring first to draw said fitting out of operative engagement with said grippers, and then to raise the grippers.

7. In a step-by-step lead pencil, the combination of a plurality of vertically-movable lead-grippers, resilient means tending to move said grippers out of engagement with a lead in the pencil, a vertically-movable fitting 7 adapted to fit about said grippers and to close vertical movement to said fitting, and means to delay movement of said grippers in response to movement of said fitting.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my 15 signature.

EDWARD 1'). 'FELDMAN. 

